The Illusive Five-Petaled Heart Flower

Hello Stamplings!

My goodness, didn't I just remark about starting a fresh new week? And then what happened was, I looked away to enjoy a hummingbird on the feeder and when I looked back, it was Monday again! Am I a groundhog now, or what's happening?!

Things are still super busy here with the Mister back at square one with his recovery, but I did manage to make a card:

Some of you may have seen this information on the Simon Says Stamp blog. Simon made this die and called it "Floral Burst Collage." What you may not know is that the artist Francine Milaux spent seventeen months on a remote island called Comoros (one of the Glorioso Islands) until she was able to get a photo of this rare flower with heart-shaped petals, from which she drew the image for the die. This rare flower is believed to be an unbanded lateral offshoot of a cape periwinkle flower and a clover, performed by a local Comoroi. Unfortunately, because this flower withers almost immediately after picking, no research has been done to substantiate this claim. 

Of course, none of that is true. I made the whole thing up because the petals on this flower are so awesome. Although it is true that Simon made the die and the name is correct. Don't hit me.

I die-cut the NBUS image and then used the negative of the cut as a stencil to blend ink in an ombré pattern across a textured linen panel. I took an unmarked tiny leaf from my large array of unmarked tiny leaves and added a few of them in ombré green. The swirly sediment is NBUS from PTI's "Scene It: Celebration Stamp Set." Hammy added PPP's schparkly clear jewels to the flower centers for just the right touch of glamour and glimmer.

Challenges

• CAS Mix Up Card Challenge: Stencil from die cut, plus stamping, plus ombré.
• Color Throwdown.
• Seize the Birthday: Show me your white space.
• TCP Tuesday February Challenge: Use a stencil.
• The Flower Challenge: Add leaves.
• TIME OUT: Inspired by Words (birthday).

Various Updates

⭐In my post here, I told you about 104-year-old Major Bill White who wanted to receive Valentine's Day cards. His family was hoping he would receive 104 of them. In fact, at last count he has received over 300,000 cards and packages from all over the world! Considering that today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, it restores your faith in humanity! Spread kindness. It's reciprocal.

⭐In my post here, I asked if any of you are getting a  message that blocked you from visiting other blogs. It quickly became apparent that the problem must be on my end. 

Normally, I ask the IT guy I'm sleeping with when I have problems like this, but at that point he was in no mood to discuss computer issues. Yesterday I was able to ask him and he quickly identified the problem as being a "new and enhanced" update to our security by our server Comcast / Xfinity.

Fortunately, after some sleuthing, he was able to figure out a way to disconnect this pain in my patootie and all is well again. (It would have been nice if they had put their own URL on their warning!) I am sorry to have jumped the gun and gotten everyone worried about their own computers.🙊

⭐There is only one week left to play in the current Twofer Card Challenge where the prompt is FRUIT! Design Team member Cat has more inspiration for you on her blog. We'd love to see your fruity concoctions in the gallery! Mwah!

Nellie's Nook

Nellie was sitting right next to me while I was taking my card photo so I snapped her picture, too.  ...

Now, honestly, isn't life a funny old thing? Some of you may remember that in 2018 at Loll's Eat Sleep Craft Repeat retreat in Vancouver we did "dirty pours" and this is one of the canvases I made then:

I thought at the time that it looked like a baby seal had emerged out of the pour, but I was wrong. It was a foretelling of a little white fluffy dog that would come into my life!! Her eyes are normally big round buttons of coal like on the canvas, except when she's looking into the sun. But isn't that spooky/cool?! 

~~~

Enjoy your day! No, seriously, enjoy! LITS!*

As always, thank you for coming by to visit the Playhouse and special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower! Please let me know you came by so I can be sure and return the flavor!

*Life is too short!

To open the pop-up comment box that let's you jump to the end w/o scrolling: Click CTL + Home. Click the Home tab under my blog banner which resets the post. Click Page Down to reach the end of the post. Click Comments and a pop-up box opens. Click "Jump to Comment Form" and wallah, no more car pool tunnel! Mwah! (p.s. If you ask me a question in your comment, please remember to leave me your email address so I can respond. Thank you!)